Weight Watchers didn't work.

I know it's so "90's" of me, but really, bulimia is in. I know it's not really healthy or whatever, but I hear people don't wear a whole lot in San Diego and we're heading back for the summer. I need to fit into my two piece.

Mom keeps taking my fingers out of my mouth, but she just doesn't get it. I can't show up overweight!

Don't judge me, not all of us are a size 2. 

I look good in pink.

I just need some gardening gloves to finish the outfit. 

Earplugs anyone?

It's pretty amazing to hear what people say or don't say (because they do it behind your back) about the way you are raising your child. I've heard it all. Literally. 

1. You hold your baby too much. 

Ok. I don't really know how to react to this one, so I typically don't. I love my child, and I want to hold her when she is crying, hurting, playing, etc. I don't wake her up to hold her, and I certainly have no aversion to putting her in her crib to talk to herself for hours (we're hoping she's not schizophrenic). 

2. Co-sleeping is dangerous and causes codependency. 

Yes. Co-sleeping may be dangerous under certain circumstances. It has been noted that large blankets, heavy sleeping, drug/alcohol use, etc can all contribute to infant injury or death. I trust myself, my hygiene, I have done my research, and I am perfectly ok with saying that this is our preferred method of sleeping for the time being. I also have no problem saying that this won't be the case forever. I'm sure when she's 18 we will have moved on to separate sleeping quarters and she'll want nothing to do with us! Little does she know, I'll be following her to college.

The pediatrician here in Hungary actually waived his finger at me and said 'NO,' when we said we were co-sleeping. He said dangerous bacteria can be transmitted. Oddly enough, skin to skin contact is encouraged. I guess people harbor completely different germs at night verses during the day.

As for the codependency issue...I co-slept with my mom and now live 8,000 miles away from her.

3. You feed her too much.  

How could I be such a horrible parent?!  I should report myself to Child Protective Services immediately for breast feeding on demand. Last time I checked, which was this morning when I ate breakfast, people eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full (well, not all of us). 

She's a healthy 4.7kg, and I don't plan on withholding. 

4. Laughing at your child is wrong! 

Last week Peter sneezed while holding HRH. She was initially stunned, and then let out a large drawn out cry, as if she had be thoroughly offended. It was mainly so funny because I often feel that way when Peter sneezes on me too, I've just learned to suppress my emotion. 

Having a child is awesome, experiencing life is fun, and if I have to choose between crying along with HRH or laughing because I know this too shall pass, I'll choose the latter. Granted, if she has a fever or something equally as distressing, I'll be the first to comfort her and do everything in my power to find a solution. There's nothing I wouldn't do to make sure she's ok. 

These are just some of the many criticisms I've had to face since giving birth, roughly 80 days ago. What is interesting is that some people think they are experts at raising children. In my experience, the people who think they have it ALL figured out, are the ones that usually have no idea. 

The point of this post is to let new moms know it's ok to be themselves and parent the way they see fit. All parents screw up their kids, without intention of course. Being preoccupied with being perfect is the first way alter the course of doing what comes naturally. You'll never be perfect, so stop trying to be! I have embraced this philosophy, and find it funny when people spew their insecurities at our parenting style. I nod, agree to disagree, and continue to parent the way Peter and I see appropriate. 

And to those who feel the urge to criticize, think twice. People really don't enjoy spending time with those who think they know it all. Just enjoy your time with parents and their children, and respect that everyone is entitled to their own methods of parenting. Advice is welcome, but don't be mean, it's not nice. 

Less and less do you need to force things, 

until you finally arrive at non-action. 

When nothing is done,

nothing is left undone. 

I'm going to take the Tao Te Ching approach. Do what comes naturally without feeling the need to explain. Ommmmmmmmmmmmm. 

God Bless New Ideas!

I don't know how new this "wrap" concept is, but I'm pretty sure I would hug the stranger who came up with it! With Peter gone to Dubai for three days, i knew my sanity would be challenged repeatedly. 

We both purchased these wraps and tried them with little success. Today, I was determined!! After watching some instructional YouTube videos, I mastered the technique. 

This is what resulted! 

Two hours of hands free bliss! I did laundry AND ate a potato! 

Three

That's how many outfits I pretty much ruined in three days at the lake. I eat. A LOT. Unbelievable doesn't begin to describe my talent. 

Lake House Blowout

Mom and dad left me with grandma and grandpa ALL day to run errands and go to a concert. Again, I plotted my revenge, which turned out to be even better than my pink eye plan.  

We came down to the lake house and within 10 minutes I let'er rip! I poo'd ALL the way up my back, up my neck and into my armpits! Let me tell you, it took some force. I think I made my point.

Mom and dad were running around like a couple of chickens, attempting to regain control of the situation. They failed. Miserably. 

This life couldn't be any more entertaining. 

My Muppet friends think I'm hysterical. 

Who can get mad at this face?! 

Time for the pool! Thankfully, mom and dad bought me a Parisian hat during their honeymoon in Nice, to keep me from getting too much sun. It's a good thing I'm using it because the whole outfit cost 36€! Dad's a sucker. 

Mom is dumb.

Mom put me in my crib when I was wide awake, which is usually a very DANGEROUS thing to do.  I looked around a little, but then got bored and decided to take a nap. She was so freaked out by my unusual behavior that she woke me up to make sure I was ok! Jeeze! Make up your mind already! 

Mom is also dumb for the following reason; she spent the equivalent of $18 on bootlegged A-1 steak sauce. Looks like I won't be going to college. 

Don't worry, be happy!

Dad put a Yakima on my head that he got in Israel at a hotel, and proceeded to entertain me with his musical genius. 

He has no rhythm and I look fabulous. I love my life. 

http://youtu.be/aMar1g9KFIg

This is proof my dad is cooler than all the other dads in the entire world! 

Having a baby in Budapest, Hungary.

There were originally two purposes to this blog. To keep my family updated from 8,000 miles away, and to help anyone else with the often stressful task of giving birth in a foreign land, specifically, Budapest. Many English speakers find themselves here, whether it be for work, following a spouse, or just a change of scenery. I still don't know why I'm here.

Getting around these parts aren't easy (if you don't speak Hungarian), namely because people don't feel the need to help due to their preoccupation with feeling sorry for themselves. Ok, that's not entirely true, I came across some very nice people along my stressful journey (namely my awesome doctor), and they really made this whole baby thing a really great experience. Considering I wasn't always dreaming of becoming a mother, this whole process was a bit of a shock. 

First, let me preface this by saying I was very used to American health care. Anyone familiar with this system knows, that for the small price of your soul, you can enjoy private rooms, decent food, and the knowledge that doctors will stop at nothing to figure out what the heck is wrong. If you don't have a soul, then it will cost you your house, car and anything else you've worked for your entire life. I didn't really know that anything else existed, which is a testament to how well I was brainwashed. So fear not, you will survive if you end up giving birth in Budapest, but I would still suggest a private clinic. 

Now, let's talk price. Foreigners do not enjoy the same free healthcare as Hungarians, but it is still significantly cheaper here than in the US. The typical c-section price in the US is $10,000-$20,000 depending on where you live and if you have insurance. At the end of my C-section experience, we had spent close to 650,000ft or roughly $2,500-3,000 (which was JUST for the last 6 weeks, surgery and hospital stay). Each extra night in the hospital will cost 50,000ft (which the staff DEFINITELY pushes, for business reasons). 

The tests throughout pregnancy (blood tests and ultrasounds) range from 500ft to 24,000ft, depending on what you need.

BUT...there are cheaper alternatives. With a TAJ card (for those lucky, lucky ladies married to Hungarians like myself, scoff, scoff, or those working) you can go to state clinics for some of the laboratory tests. 

There's also this strange practice that Americans aren't used to, that is essential for giving birth here in Budapest. If you decide on a PUBLIC hospital, you TIP. You pay the doctor around 100,000HUF for his services, and the nursing staff 2,000HUF/day per nurse. That will insure that they will check on you more than once in a 24-hour period. I've heard a few times that facilities are run down, and you must bring ALL your own supplies, including toilet paper and slippers (to avoid anything that may be lingering on the floors). Oh, and don't be surprised if you are sharing a room with three other new moms. This experience will still cost you roughly around $1,000-1,500 or 250,000ft-300,000ft.
 

I chose the other route, suggested by a doctor who knew what I was 'used to' in the states, also suggesting he knew I was a spoiled brat. I owe him. There are a few private clinics here that cater to expats. I chose Maternity, a small clinic located on the Buda side. It was a fantastic experience. The doctors were knowledgeable, the staff was friendly (some even speaking English) and the facilities were clean and well stocked. For the price difference of $1,000-$2,000 (depending on your circumstances), it was well worth it.

Update: I will be doing it the exact same way again because I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant.  That's saying a lot, considering I really miss San Diego.

The Maternity Clinic is located in the Kutvölgyi Korhaz (a state hospital). The floor is very nice, with modern rooms, a great shower and the food wasn't bad (but pretty basic...cheese/ham and runny soup). The best part was that Peter was able to stay with me and stay the night, which doesn't happen in a regular state hospital, where they have strict visiting hours (from rumors around town). Within the hospital, they also have a full Neonatal Intensive Care Unit just in case anything goes wrong, which is not the case with Telki (another private hospital...which subsequently closed) located about 40 minutes outside of the city. Overall it was the best choice, given my limited time frame (I showed up in Budapest at about 32 weeks without a plan). I live dangerously.

Whatever you choose, don't stress. As a first time mom, I found this experience to be really cool. Don't get me wrong, you WILL get frustrated, but that's the fun in dealing with Hungarians in general. Enjoy!! There ARE other private clinics located in Budapest, but I am not familiar with them unfortunately. 

If anyone has an questions, feel free to email me at krains3@hotmail.com. 

Here is a link to the clinic.

http://maternity.hu/en/

And a link to the English Speaking Moms in Budapest Facebook Page, where you can ask all your questions!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1525544647717899/

iPads and Pink Eye

So it all started when mom wanted dad to cook some steak last night. She put me down in my stupid crib so she could look up recipes on her iPad. After about two minutes I decided I no longer wanted to hang out with Mickey (he kinda creeps me out) so I proceeded to scream until she picked me up. She put me on her knees (which is her way of being lazy instead of holding me). I was perfectly content when she pulled her iPad closer, threw off its center of gravity, and boom, it fell on my head!!!!! It even left a mark for like 10 minutes. I was livid. 

I plotted my revenge all night, and this morning when mom was wiping my butt, I shot a poop as far as I could in her general direction. I have optimal timing. 

I'm pretty sure she'll have pink eye by lunch. 

Ignore my double chin, it's a byproduct of projecting poop across the room. 

The reason for my plot. I hope mom enjoyed it!!! 

Beer:30

The grandparents stopped by today, with the intention of only staying a few minutes. Grandma asked mom  if she wanted to run to the mall. Instead of saying no, per her usual, she jumped at the chance! Her shoes were on before dad knew what was going on. They both left me! What the heck?! I'm super offended they didn't invite me. 

It ok though because they proceeded to spend the next hour looking at pictures of me, HRH (Her Royal Highness) Popcorn, and talking about how awesome I am. I certainly can't blame them. I'm fun. 

Hey!!! Where'd everyone go? 

They drank a beer...

I drank milk... 

And we were reunited without major incident. 

Cheers! 

Don't get me wrong...

Harmonica is great, and really underrated. Dad has been unsuccessfully trying to put me to sleep for the last hour. I'm also pretty sick of Sound of Silence, which dad keeps singing over and over again. Borrrring! 

I'm not particularly interested in reading these days, and after partaking in War and Peace, nothing seems to suit my need for mental stimulation...especially stupid little neon animal books. 

What does help? Warm milk! Yum yum! Does anyone have any cookies?! 

This is what I want to do in bed!!! 

Nutrient Overload

In order to rid the contents of our midget size fridge, we decided to be healthy and juice! I watched a movie on eating vitamin packed foods and wanted to start introducing less processed items into our diet. So rather than suck down another decaf coffee with way too much sugar, I seized the opportunity to shock my body into working more efficiently. 

Carrots, spinach, tomatoes, parsley, a cucumber, and a red pepper (which I accidentally bought after attempting to say pineapple)...

...this concoction resulted. 

I can't say it was particularly appetizing to look at, but I know one thing for sure, it gave me a stomach ache. Apparently I need to introduce nutrients very slowly.

I do what I want.

This is me stretching, after mom was forced to feed me in front of 20 strangers. I tricked the parents into thinking I'd be asleep long enough for them to have lunch...out of the house...at a nice restaurant. They are such fools. 

And then I fell asleep. 

Budapest won a title...almost.

Peter and I were eating dinner (ramen noodles with veggies) when we started on the topic of air quality. We have moved three times and are currently looking at moving yet again, and air quality has always been a point of contention. So, in order to get some piece of mind, we bought a very expensive air filter. 

I argued that San Diego has MUCH better air quality than Budapest, and Peter had to disagree. I turned to my trusty iPad and voila! Budapest, out of 25 EU cities, ranks 24th in air quality. Bucharest won the title, leaving Budapest in a sad second place. This poor city can't even win a battle that doesn't involve weapons. On a better note, the article mentioned people die on average 22 months earlier due to this pollution. Maybe this new information will encourage someone to apply for pilot jobs outside of Hungary. 

                                                                 Vs. 

Ok, this depiction may not be fair, but I miss home. And no, bird poop doesn't count as air pollution. 

I'm ready for my acting debut!

http://youtu.be/Pfl0MD979O4

I can almost hold my head up all by myself! I think the next step is looking for my own apartment. 

High and Tight

So last night Peter came up with this brilliant plan for me to cut his hair. At first I was a little nervous because the only other time I cut a guy's hair, I managed to completely sheer off a beloved sideburn. 

I quickly became artistically inspired and managed to create a masterpiece that his mom actually approved of. There was a little touching up to do, but overall I felt pretty good about my work. 

Fast forward to 9pm, after watching the season finale of The Bachelor (which Peter is completely obsessed with now), when he forced me to fix the back of his hair. I reluctantly agreed, knowing I couldn't get lucky twice. 

Turns out, I was right. 

I cut it a little TOO short (read, WAY TOO short), and this is what resulted. 

The best damn military haircut this country has ever seen. It's Hungary, so expectations are low. It's a good thing I've dated so many military guys. 

All this stress in order to save $10. 

 

I'm beat.

I went to bed at 1am, and was starving by 3:30. Mom is withholding...she only feeds me like 10 times a day. Dad needed to pick some paperwork up so we went for a drive. With only 2.5 hours of sleep, I was a little exhausted. Mom and dad look horrible for some reason, and I think mom said some bad words last night when I was crying. She needs a lesson on being more supportive. 

Mom wanted to move me because I look uncomfortable, but she chose the smart route and let me sleep.